Laura Beinbrech

Nice work, AussieJimbo! If you're thinking about making Minifig-scale NG trains, one good place to go for inspiration would be the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway, if you're looking for something in the British 2-foot gauge area that is... If you're looking to do something American, there's the East Broad Top Railroad (which happens to be close by where I live, and I'm planning on doing their 55-ton diesel in LEGO sometime in the fairly near future), the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad and Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (both of which are in Colorado/New Mexico). These three are all 3-foot gauge. I hope that provides some inspiration for you. ;)

Well, I did post my City Island Keep, which is a major military facility in the setting, in the Sci-Fi forum, but it got no replies... :/ Glad you like the train, though.

Well, some of you may have seen the LDD screenshot that I posted in the registry, and since my massive PaB order arrived two days ago, I finally was able to build it. I proudly present the GG-2a electric locomotive, my "What-if" imagining of a modernized Pennsylvania RR GG-1. GG-2a Side View by Hikaro Takayama, on Flickr The GG-2 series of electric locomotives entered service in the years leading to the Final War, due to the fact that the world's fossil fuel supplies had been virtually depleted, making diesel far too expensive to profitably run a railroad. After the Final War, the Federal Republic of America and the Republic of New Jersey continued GG-2 production, and these trains are the primary mainline service locomotives for both nations' Class I and Class II railroads in the core areas. Biomass-fueled Steam Locomotives (primarily wood pellet burners) ply the rails in the Borderlands and areas near war zones where enemy action and wasteland raider sabotage tends to make running line-powered electric trains problematic. Map of the factions in post-Final War North America The pictured GG-2a belongs to the Norfolk-Southern Railroad, one of the few Class I railroads to survive the Final War, and proudly wears their black and white livery. GG-2a Front View by Hikaro Takayama, on Flickr Despite surface similarities, and the obvious inspiration, the GG-2 is quite different from the GG-1 under the hood. While it has the same articulated 4-6-6-4 wheel arrangement (2-Co-Co-2, to use the international wheel notation), the GG-2 locomotives' drive wheels are directly powered by AC induction motors and are equipped with dynamic braking capabilities. In dynamic braking mode (where the induction motors become induction generators), the power generated by the braking process is fed into a rectifier/inverter array and is stored in two super-capacitor banks. This allows for quicker acceleration and reduces overall power consumption. Furthermore, as is plainly evident, the single, incandescent headlamp of the GG-1 has been discarded in favor of dual super-bright Xenon HID headlamps, which provide better visibility at night. Finally, instead of the old "basket" style pantographs, the GG-2 has modern, high-speed pantograph pickups, which can handle its maximum top speed of around 200 Mph (320 km/h) GG-2a Interior/Top View by Hikaro Takayama, on Flickr Here we have a shot of the locomotive's interior. Both operator's stations can be seen, along with the "lounge" area for operators to grab a quick bite or cup of coffee while waiting at a station, or on longer trips, where the off-duty operator can relax before taking their turn at the throttle. GG-2a W/ Hogwarts Express Coach by Hikaro Takayama, on Flickr Finally, here's a pic of the GG-2a pulling my modified Hogwarts Express coach (it happens to be the same length as the Emerald Night's dining car) to give an idea of how big this beast is. The LDD file (albeit with much simpler interior) can be found here (search username Hikaro_Takayama)... Yes, I managed to build this thing using only bricks that can be purchased through PaB/DBM... I may see about making more of these, probably in CSX livery and Federal Republic of America National Railway (FR-line) colors as well... Not anytime soon... Excluding the interior stuff (chairs, table, etc), this thing weighs in at over 360 pieces. Last of all, a big thanks to DANDEN and Magimutti on Brickshelf, whose design and instructions, respectively, served as a starting point for this project (not to mention that I only made a few small changes to their wheel base design). Tell me what you think of it. ;)

Well, I did think about it, but first of all, it would have been a bit too dissimilar to the locomotive it was based on, and secondly, it would have been too tall, which is why they had the dual pantographs on the original GG-1. ...Not to mention that it looks cooler. :D BTW, the "GG" in the name comes from the old Pennsylvania Railroad wheel notation... G = 4-6-0, and since this is an articulated locomotive that is essentially two 4-6-0s back to back, it is classed as a "GG" under that notation, as I already mentioned, under the international notation it is a (2'Co)+(Co2')...

My thoughts exactly... Nice to see you doing all these old themes, J4ke!

There is also a LDD version (*.lxf file) on this very site created by Eurobricks own Kost U Grlu. Hope that helps, and hope to see your version soon.

The only thing I can think of to describe this MOC is Crazy Awesome! Good job on not only finding such a weird contraption, but actually getting it to work.

Well, leaving aside my ranting about my slow computer, that is basically what I was saying would be nice: Some less memory-intensive startup screen, and I think this solution would work for everybody...

That's a really nice locomotive and use of the Emerald Night parts. I can't really help you with the wheel issues, though.

Here's a link to info on the Warhammer 40K Wiki: http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Imperial_Vehicles The Vulture, and a picture thereof, is about halfway down the page... This MOC looks sorta like a shiny white version of a Vulture. ;)

Nice! Don't see too many people building Futuron-based MOCs these days... I like the design. It kinda reminds me of a Warhammer 40K Vulture Gunship.

That's exactly what I've been doing with LEGO magnets that I get that are glued... I still get the rare/unusual figures I want, and it's not like anyone can really tell that the legs are glued to the torso.

Well, let me just put it this way: #1 the computer is an HP (i.e. POS), #2: It has more issues than the New York Times archives (among other things, the mouse pointer becomes disassociated from the cursor if you try to start too many programs at once, and the only way to fix it is to reboot), and #3: a Windows re-install is pretty much out of the question, due to the fact that I bought this system for $50 from my one friend who was moving to Japan, and he didn't give me any of the system restore disks... Like I said, my only concern is to keep it limping along until I can build a suitable replacement (I may end up just using my dual-core portable, but I'd have to transfer all my data and install all my anti-spyware programs and such on the portable, and I don't really have the time and inclination to do that at this point). Also I may have over exagerated a bit, it's more like 3 minutes... However, I did try purging the "Recent Models" entry in the LDD.ini file, and that did dramatically reduce the loading time... I guess I'll just have to remember to purge the recent models entry... Also, another factor with the slow loading time, particularly when it's connecting to the server to check for updates to the DBM brick lists, would probably be my crappy internet connection, i.e. Verizon Wireless (it's the only thing faster than dialup available where I live currently, and its only 2x as fast as dialup... I'm hoping to be moving into a new place that is near enough to town for DSL or Cable internet so I can dispense with Verizon's crappy, over-priced wireless internet entirely). ...Still, even with these issues and limitations, running LDD on this computer is still better than trying to use LDraw on my old 386sx... XD

If I were to make an electronically controlled switch, I'd probably go with the solenoid, since that's what most Model RR switches use, and such should be fairly easy and inexpensive (well, as inexpensive as any kind of Model RR stuff gets)... I even had such a switch for the HO scale layout I once had...

I believe I did mention that my LDD computer was an old, long in the tooth Pentium IV with a mere 2GB of RAM (and I remeber when they didn't even have HARD DRIVES that big)... If I weren't saving up money for a house, I'd probably build a new quad-core box and scrap this old P.O.S....

I just love the photographic effects, giving the sense of a montage of the same locomotive taken over the years. Gives a real sense of history... I've seen something similar in RL at the East Broad Top Railroad, showing #15 (and their other 3' gauge Mikados) through the years on the wall of the Orbisonia Station..

Looking fantabulous! Now it looks even more like the Kiski Junction transfer caboose, but yellow instead of red.

Definitely interested in the Alien, Robot, Genie, Highlander and Minotaur (I need some Beastmen to flesh out my Hordes of Chaos), and possibly the statue of Liberty for the sand-green head (can you say "Female Orc?"), although I might just pick those up on BrickLink... I might also get some Bandits to add to my ever growing horde of Wasteland Raiders....

Man, and I looked through every menu trying to find a way to do that, even the not-so-helpful help menu.... Well, looks like I'm going to have to find out, because loading the home screen, BY ITSELF, takes a good five minutes, and there is just no excuse for that, as far as I'm concerned. Thanks for clarifying things though... It looks like I really don't have anything to add to the request list after all.

I'm personally not a huge fan of SNOT... Particularly if it's not really necessary to get the look you want, due to the fact that SNOT tends to exponentially lower the structural integrity of the build. ...Well, that, and I'm something of a traditionalist. Personally, I think the Transfer Caboose is fine the way it is (although I'd probably use those 2x4 bow plates on the roof, and do the brakewheels a bit differently)... As for studlessness, I'm generally for it if it's on the roof or something like that, but I want my minifigs to be able to actually STICK to the places where you'd expect them to be standing/sitting, again, due to the fact that I usually have my stuff in storage where it gets bumped around occasionally, and I like to have my minifigs where I left them when I get the set back out. Still, that is just my own $0.02 on the subject. Back to the Transfer Caboose and my other idea: I most likely won't be modelling the Kiski Junction RR anytime soon, I've got too many other projects to do first....

Hello, I go by the moniker of Hikaro Takayama, wherever I happen to be on the Aethernet, so if you've run across another Hikaro Takayama somewhere, it most likely was me. Even though I'm new to Eurobricks, I've been bricking off and on since 1988, and my oldest MOC dates back to 1989 (although it's had damaged bricks replaces and various modifications made over the years). Anyways, a bit about myself: I live in Southern Pennsylvania in the USA (I'm just a crazy Mennonite living in an Amish paradise), and I work for the US Army as an electronics mechanic. Other LEGO-related forums I belong to are: Classic Castle, Brickforge, BrickArms, and the official LEGO forums.... Non-LEGO forums I belong to are Brass Goggles Steampunk Forum and Civilization Fanatics Center (There is actually one Civilization III mod that features a custom faction based around my LEGO stuff, though :D). In addition to LEGO, I like messing around with electronics, and I'm reasonably good at metalworking (at least plenty good enough to make steampunk cases for my various electronic projects). Anyways, I'll most likely be hanging out in the Train Tech and Science Fiction forums, since those are the two places that my various MOCs would best fit (although my LEGO setting would be better described as a Steam/Diesel-punk Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy setting, with plenty of references/shout-outs to other sci-fi/fantasy settings thrown in for good measure)... Basically it's based on the LEGO games my brother and I played when we were kids.... Sorta like a cross between LoTR, Fallout ad Warhammer 40K, but not nearly as bleak and pessimistic and with tongue firmly planted in cheek. ;) So I hope to see you guys around.

Hello, all, I know that this isn't what one would usually think of as "Sci-Fi", but this falls under the description of this particular subforum, so allow me to present the City Island Keep: This is a 32x32 Japanese-style castle that I started building 11 years ago. It has parts from two Royal Drawbridge sets (6078, Mainly the two blue 16x32 baseplates and some of the BURPs), Two Bandit's Ambush (6024, namely the tree branches and some more LURPs), Two Samurai Strongholds (6083), and a complete Flying Ninja Fortress (6093). The first build was in October 2000, when I came home on leave from US Navy Mark-23 TAS "C" School, and the first major overhaul was in December, 2001 when I was home on leave after being stationed in Japan for over a year, and I just recently finished fixing up some parts of the interior and such (mainly to make the "basement" more accessible, and to minimize wasted space). Anyways, the background story: This fortress, while it might look like an ancient Japanese castle on the outside, looks can be deceiving. The walls are made from unobtainium-reinforced ceramcrete, the "porpoise" deccorations on the lower roof are actually a sophisticated phased-array radar set and the two on the roof are high-gain "lobe" communications antennas (the area where the roof-mounted howitzer is located is withing their "dead zone" so that the gunners don't get fried whenever someone has to make a call). Not only is it the main base of the Federal Republic of America's Special Operations Command, but it also serves as the HQ for the Federal Joint Chiefs of Staff, since the Pentagon was wiped off the map (along with much of Arlington, VA) by a rogue dimensional portal that opened up during the Final War. CityIslandFront by Hikaro Takayama, on Flickr Front view, where you can see several Federal Samurai on guard as well as the 127mm (5-inch) howitzer on the roof. The "Carp" decorations on the roof are actually sophisticated communications and phased-array radar antennas. CityIslandIntFront by Hikaro Takayama, on Flickr View of the interior, Front half... Here you can see various Federal SOCOM Men At Arms (Infantry Spec Ops), including an officer and two "Heavies", a.k.a. Hardsuit Troopers. In the bottom Right, wearing the visored helmet with the red plume is Maj. Gen. Lindsay Furukawa, commander of the Men At Arms and Dragoon divisions of the Special Operations Command. In the jail cell at the bottom right is a Grand Duchy of New York Elite Dragon Knight team member who is the only survivor of a Grand Duchy raiding party that ran afoul of Ninja Team 7 while trying to blow up the Norfolk-Southern Freight Yard in Allentown. Ninja Team 7 members (Gray Ninjas) can be seen standing watch in this picture. CityIslandInt1 by Hikaro Takayama, on Flickr Interior, rear half: Here you can see Lady Sakura Tanaka, leader of Ninja Team 7, the best of the best of the best that the Federal Republic of America's armed forces have to offer, showing off her snazzy green lightsaber and chrome-plated M-21 Sniper Rifle.... How can someone wearing white and carrying around such flashy weaponry be an effective Ninja you ask? Well, that just goes to show how insanely good Ninja Team 7 officers are. ;) Directly above her is the Command Center, with Radar/Comm Tech as well as the Joint Chiefs of Staff and President John "Redbeard" Stevenson. L-R are Admiral James Hook, Chief of Naval Operations, General Gordon Freeman, Air Force Chief of Staff (both with their backs towards the camera), and General Gandalf "The White", Army Chief of Staff... General Gandalf also presents guest lectures at the local Magical College on the topic of Defense Against the Dark Arts, with an emphasis on dealing with Nazgûl.... The white cat is Snowball, the garrison mascot... The SOCOM troops just adore him. CityIslandInt2 by Hikaro Takayama, on Flickr And Finally, a close-up of the command center, with a clear shot at the other two Joint Chiefs of Staff: General Hikaro Takayama, Chief of Special Operations, and General Clare, Commandant of the Federal Marine Corps. (Yes this is, in fact, a pic of my elusive sig fig, and the only such in existence.... There are more pics in my Flickr Photostream (just click on any picture to see the rest of the set)... Let me know what you think! I'm considering a few improvements, like modifying some of the windows on the rear part of the base, and replacing the rooftop howitzer with a vulcan cannon turret (a.k.a. a BrickArms minigun) for use as AA defense (since the Howitzer is pretty much useless for engaging close-by ground/water targets and can't elevate enough to counter airborne threats)... But that's the way it seems to go with my MOC's: As soon as I take some pics and post it on the internet, I think of some improvements to be made.

I got it to work on the first try, and it works a treat! Best part is, I can export the list into Excel and print it out! Thanks for making this program, Superkalle! As for other stuff that would be nice to have in LDD, how about an option to hide those annoying click-to-rotate arrows at the edge of the screen... I never use them, and seem to always accidentally clicking on them when I'm trying to move the model around... It would also be nice if we could disable the welcome screen, because that really lags my computer down and half the time I want to go straight to free-build anyways.

I really like this! If it were done in red and converted into a dining car, then you'd have Kiski Junction Railroad's #200 Transfer Caboose.... Hmmm.... That gives me an idea. It should be fairly easy to model KJR's complete Passenger lineup and their Alco S-1.... Anyways, thanks for sharing this nifty design!

Actually, the other direction, I live near Chambersburg, and I agree that Civilization III is the best of the lot... Easy to customize and doesn't require a super-computer to run (my old Pentium IV runs it with little or no lag, except for the amazingly in-depth and complex Age of Imperialism scenario, but that even runs somewhat slow on my dual-core machine). I noticed that you're in PennLUG.... How do you sign up and where does the group meet?